Vagabond arrived at Point Loma Sportfishing November 20 under owner Mike Lackey’s hand, after a nine-day open-party trip to the Southern Banks with 16 anglers. The boat landed five tuna over 200 pounds, including a whopper super cow; a 327.6-pound yellowfin caught by Tony Saldivar of Laguna Hills.

The fight lasted two hours after the fish hit his fly-lined sardine. “I almost got spooled three times,” said Tony. “I got ‘em in the evening, fought him into the dark. I didn’t think he was anything real big at first, but after an hour, everybody knew it was something bigger. Captain Mike could tell by his tail strokes.”

“It was a seriously mean fish,” said Lackey.

Tony used an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook with 130-pound Maxima line and 130-pound Izorline Spectra backing, a Penn International 50 S reel and a Calstar 655 XXXH rod to land the jackpot winning fish. Tony posed at Point Loma Sportfishing’s certified scales with his 11-month old son Kendall.

“I’m looking forward to our next trip, leaving this Friday,” continued Lackey. “We’re bringing out the big guns on that one, guys looking for big fish. They’re paying to get punished, it’ll be fun.”

Kevin O’Rourke of Long Beach took second place in the jackpot with a 228.6-pound tuna. Kevin fished an 8/0 custom ringed hook by Sav-On Tackle, 130-pound Flourocarbon, a Penn 50 W VSW, and a custom rod by Ron Sears. “The fight was real comfortable,” said Kevin. “I had first-rate gear.”

Big Jim’s Bomb Squad charter, twelve years running, returned to H&M Landing November 20, after fishing eleven days aboard the Spirit of Adventure with owner Mike Keating at the helm. The boat’s 20 anglers saw eight cows landed. “It’s looking good down there,” Keating said. “I have to admit, I’m excited to get back out on Friday.”

Matt Salas of Salas Lures took first place with a 268.6-pound yellowfin tuna he jokingly said was caught on a Salas 6X iron. “I used a sardine,” said Salas laughing. “He fought for an hour and a half and then he came up head first, dead. He took me around the boat four times though, it was a tough fish.”

“The weather down there got progressively more windy each day,” continued Matt, “But it was never bad. We were chasing porpoise and common dolphin. The black porpoise are hard to see, you just see the tops of their fins.”

Second place went to Pete Fallini of Santa Paula, and his 247-pound yellowfin. Pete used a 5/0 Owner Super Mutu hook, 130-pound line, a Penn 70 VSW reel, and a Calstar 755 XXH rod. “The fight lasted 45-minutes,” said Pete. “He was tail hooked, it would have spooled an International 50 reel. I’m glad I had the 70.”

Rick Bowden of El Segundo took third with a 245.5-pound tuna caught on a sardine with a 3/0 ringed Owner hook, 100-pound Izorline fluorocarbon leader, 135-pound Izorline Spectra, a Penn 30 S reel modified by Cal Sheets, and a Calstar 7455 XH rod.

Chartermaster “Big Jim” Boyle of El Cajon hooked and handed off at least six of the bigger tuna caught on the trip. “We mostly do wahoo fishing,” said the Chartermaster, “But this was a big tuna trip. Everybody gets a big fish; that was my gig. The Penn International 30 reel did a very good job.”

Stan Kosinski of San Jose took the beating of one of those handed-off fish, a 286-pound brute. “The fight wasn’t bad,” said Stan, “it just lasted two hours. We were on some really nice fish, but this is the biggest fish I’ve landed. I’m ready to go catch some more.”

Drew Alvey landed a “Big Jim hooked” 279-pound tuna that bit a fly-lined sardine on a 4/0 Owner Super Mutu hook, 100-pound Izorline XXX line with 135-pound Izorline Spectra, a Penn 30 SW reel, and a Calstar rod custom wrapped by Wes Drennen. Alvey also hooked and landed a 207-pound tuna the next day. “The 278-pounder killed me,” he said, “but it also warmed me up to fight this one. I’m excited. This was my first cow tuna.”

American Angler returned to Point Loma Sportfishing November 20 after a ten-day CME4TUNA charter that produced 13 tuna over 200-pounds including the biggest catch this season; a 359-pound super cow. Owner Brian Kiyohara was at the helm of the fifth annual charter.

On his first ten-day trip, Erik Kinoshita, of Torrance, hooked and landed the jackpot winning big bruiser. “It was tail-wrapped at first, but about halfway through the fight it came undone and kamikaze’d right at us. I had a lot of help from the crew. We went around the boat several times. I was hooked up right before sundown and fought into night.”

A 296-pound tuna was caught by John Yarbrough of Parker, AZ; placing him second in the jackpot. John also caught a 208-pounder. “I’d actually only got bit a couple times,” said John, “but I didn’t lose anything. I’ll compliment ‘Taro’ (Crewman Todd Takeuchi) every day from here on out. He’s calm when you need to be, and he pumps you up when you need it the most.”

John fished a mackerel on a 8/0 Owner hook, 135-pound Top Shot, a Shimano Tiagra 50 reel, and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Retired L.A. County Sheriff Don Garcia, of Long Beach, took third with a 247-pound tuna. “I took my harness off and used the rail,” said Don. “I lost my prescription sunglasses on the fight too. They fell in the ‘drink.’ I went around the boat, I was on my knees, the fight lasted a little over an hour. It was awesome.”

Don used a 7/0 Owner Super Mutu hook, 130-pound Izorline Top Shot with Jerry Brown Spectra and a Penn International 50 S reel and a Calstar rod.

“What else can I say?” said Chartermaster Mike Farnsworth of Newport, who was more than pleased. “This crew is just super, very polite and knowledgeable. Brian’s game plan worked out pretty well. Hookups are one thing, catches are another.”

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